Small Business & Entrepreneurship Guide

For people with a record — especially those with a sex offense background or registry obligations — traditional employment can feel like a brick wall. Entrepreneurship doesn’t erase stigma, but it gives you a way around it: you create your own opportunities and set your own standard of professionalism and reliability.

You don’t need perfection to begin: no fancy logo, no 20-page plan, no viral website. Action beats perfection. And your idea doesn’t have to be unique — proven markets are safer places to start. Your edge is reliability, quality, and consistency over time.

• Real-world examples: a $60 mower turned into a landscaping company; handmade goods scaled through local referrals; a phone-repair skill became a paid booth at a flea market.
• What this guide does: gives you the “how” — set up, funding, first customers, compliance, growth, and safety.

Start with your skills, interests, resources, and limits. Most small businesses begin with something simple you can already do. Big ideas exist (and that’s great), but they’re the exception — don’t wait on them to start.

Quick self-inventory

• List 3 things you’re good at (including everyday skills like reliability or fixing things).
• List 3 things you enjoy (you don’t have to “love” it, but it helps).
• Ask one trusted person what they’d pay you to do.

Factor in your reality

• Location restrictions: avoid ideas that place you at schools/parks/events.
• Curfew/travel limits: focus on home-based or local businesses.
• Internet/device limits: consider offline services until you have approval.
• Reporting: record income and keep your PO informed where required.

Treat compliance as part of your business plan. Employment must be lawful and approved; device and internet use may be monitored or limited. Design your early business around your conditions, then expand as restrictions ease.

• Curfews: operate in daytime windows.
• Travel limits: serve local customers only.
• Internet/device limits: request specific, monitored tools if needed; start offline if not permitted.
• Disclosure rules: prepare simple records and report self-employment if required.

Green-light (practical & proven)

• Trades/repair: appliance repair, handyman tasks, small construction, auto detailing.
• Cleaning & maintenance: residential/commercial cleaning, pressure washing.
• Hauling & delivery: junk removal, moving help (within travel limits).
• Resale: flips via flea markets, Facebook Marketplace, local classifieds.
• Digital/creative (if approved): graphic design, copywriting, technical writing, digital products.

Yellow-light (check first)

• Transportation platforms (often background-check gated).
• Food services (permits/inspections).
• Online marketplaces/freelance platforms (require device approval).

Red-light (not viable for registrants)

• Childcare/youth services; tutoring minors.
• Healthcare/security licensure paths commonly barred.
• Any site-based business sited near schools/parks where restricted.

Stigma, trust, and involuntary disclosure

• Neutral branding: use a service-focused name; avoid personal identifiers.
• Respond professionally: never debate your past online; keep replies brief and service-focused.
• Flood with positives: ask happy customers for reviews; rely on referrals to drown out hostility.
• Safety: use a business number (Google Voice), PO box/UPS box, and avoid sharing personal details.

Licensing restrictions

Start in fields that don’t require licensing; if blocked, pivot to adjacent services with fewer restrictions.

Access to capital

• Start small and reinvest.
• Use CDFIs and SBA microloans where eligible.
• Avoid predatory “fast cash” offers.

Tech limits

Request monitored access or partner with a trusted person; otherwise lean on offline tactics until approval.

1) Seed Money Fast: Bootstrapping Tactics

• Pre-sell & deposits: offer a small bundle, collect 50% up front, buy only needed materials.
• Anchor customer: pitch one local business for recurring service with modest prepay discount.
• Micro-flips: clean/repair/resell fast-moving items over a weekend for starter cash.
• Rent/borrow: tools for first 1–3 jobs; include rental cost in price.
• Partner/share: split revenue with someone who owns the key asset until you can buy your own.
• Community micro-funding: workforce boards, reentry nonprofits, churches/civic mini-grants.
• Service-for-referrals: trade one low-cost job for three named referrals — in writing.

2) Crowdfunding & Community Support

Keep it small and direct; share with supportive circles first to limit stigma blowback.

3) Microloans & CDFIs

• SBA Microloans: up to $50k via nonprofit intermediaries.
• CDFIs: mission-driven lenders; many pair capital with coaching/credit-build.

4) SBA Lender Match

Quick questionnaire; lenders contact you. Even a “no” teaches what to fix for next time.

5) Modern banking & payments

• Neobanks: Chime/Current for simple accounts.
• Payments: Cash App Business, Venmo Business, PayPal, and Square readers.
• Keep business funds separate from day one.

6) Avoid predatory loans

Watch for upfront fees, pressure tactics, and “guaranteed approval.” If it sounds too good to be true — skip it.

1) Choose a business name

• Simple, professional, neutral (“Brightline Cleaning”).
• Search state registry + Google + social platforms for conflicts.

2) Register (if needed) & get EIN

Many start as sole proprietors; consider LLC for liability at any time. Get your free EIN from IRS online.

3) Open a business account

Use Cash App/PayPal/Venmo Business to start; upgrade to credit-union/CDFI checking soon. Save every receipt.

4) Price your first service

Materials + labor + margin. Research local comps; don’t undersell yourself.

5) Find your first customer

• Offline: 25–50 flyers, bulletin boards, shop windows, churches, barber shops.
• Online (if approved): Marketplace, Craigslist, Nextdoor, and a simple one-page site.

6) Deliver & document

Show up on time. Get before/after photos (permission). Ask for a testimonial. Save proof of payment.

7) Reinvest & repeat

Commit a % of profit (e.g., 50%) to upgrades/marketing. Momentum beats perfection.

In 2025, world-class training is often free. One hour a week compounds fast — pick one course and one local mentor and apply one new tactic each week.

Online programs (free/low-cost)

• GoDaddy × The Last Mile (Empower): website, email, branding, SEO, mentorship (justice-impacted focus).
• SBA Learning Platform: planning, launching, funding, managing.
• MOBI (Santa Clara Univ.): self-paced entrepreneur certificates.
• UCEDC “Second Chance”: virtual program with mentorship.
• First Step Alliance: entrepreneurship + legal/money/banking support.
• Google Grow Your Business: digital marketing & AI tools.
• Harvard Online (free courses) & Alison (certificates).

Offline routes

• SCORE mentorship: free 1:1 advisors; accountability.
• SBDCs: local coaching, workshops, market data.
• Trade apprenticeships/union programs (learn skills, then apply in adjacent services if licensure is blocked).
• Community colleges with reentry partnerships; libraries & maker spaces.

Grow on two tracks: offline/local presence plus online/digital when allowed. Consistency wins.

Start with your inner circle

• Text 3–5 trusted people a one-sentence pitch with price and availability.
• Offer a founding-customer deal; ask explicitly for referrals.

Low-cost local marketing

• 50 flyers, business cards, yard signs with QR codes.
• Community boards, church bulletins, local shopper papers.
• Attend one community event/trade show this month.

Word-of-mouth systems

• Referral bonus ($20 off or free add-on).
• Keep a simple referral log; follow up by text.

Digital (if approved)

• Google Business Profile; Nextdoor; Marketplace.
• One-page site (Wix/GoDaddy/Google Sites). Canva for graphics.
• Optional $25 boosted post to test demand.

Handling stigma online

• Don’t argue online. Keep replies short and service-focused.
• Ask satisfied clients for reviews to outweigh hostility.
• Use Google Alerts for your business name; escalate harassment to your PO/attorney if needed.

Level 1 → Steady Solo

• Upgrade tools/systems; separate finances; consider an LLC early for liability protection.
• Document customers, receipts, testimonials.

Level 2 → Small Team

• Helpers/contractors per job; partnerships; family admin help.
• Use a business number (Google Voice). Try Jobber/HoneyBook for scheduling & invoices.
• Check supervision rules before hiring.

Level 3 → Structured Growth

• Entity formalization (LLC or S-Corp), general liability insurance, bonding if needed.
• Standardize processes: quotes, checklists, training.
• Expand marketing: SEO, simple ads, local partnerships.

Contracts

Always get scope, price, and timing in writing (even a signed page or text thread). It prevents disputes.

Taxes

Report income (often Schedule C). Move 25–30% of profit into a tax savings bucket each time you’re paid.

Business structure

Sole prop is simplest; LLC adds liability protection and is valid even for single-owner startups.

Insurance

General liability, bonding (if required), and business auto if you use a vehicle.

Recordkeeping

Wave/QuickBooks/spreadsheets + cloud backups. Good records help with taxes and PO reporting.

Supervision compliance

Stay transparent with your PO. Get approvals before adding online sales or travel; document income sources.

Entrepreneurship for registrants and families is about more than money — it’s stability, dignity, and momentum. Every invoice and referral chips away at stigma. At SOLAR, we believe your future isn’t defined by your past: with clear steps, safe guardrails, and persistent action, you can build something real and lasting.

Your business may never make headlines. It doesn’t have to. If it feeds your family, gives you purpose, and proves your value to yourself and your community, it’s already a success. Keep going.

✅ Final Checklist

📚 Guide Sources & Recommended Resources

• IRS: Apply for an EIN (free)
• SBA Learning Platform
• SBA Microloan Program
• U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund (find CDFIs)
• Find your SBDC
• SCORE Mentorship
• GoDaddy × The Last Mile (Empower)
• Google: Grow Your Business
• My Own Business Institute (MOBI)
• UCEDC: Entrepreneurship as a Second Chance
• First Step Alliance: Fresh Start
• Harvard Online (free business courses)
• Alison: Free Business Courses